Popular Woodworking 2004-06 № 141, страница 26
Sander with each pass. Drum sanders are designed to remove material in small increments per pass is normal). The sanding surface actually is astrip of3"-wide sandpaper wrapped in a spiral around the sanding drum. Strips are available in grits ranging from #24 to #220. Cut-to-fit strips are available from the company for $30 each. Changing the sanding strips can be a tricky process on most drum sanders, requiring one hand to hold the spring clamp open while the paper is positioned. But Performax has added a tool to hold the paper-holding clamp open to ease this process. Overall, we were pleased with the performance of this sander, but we recommend infeed and outfeed roller stands set at the height of the conveyer table to avoid snipe problems. Its price is a little high for an occasional machine, but it will reduce your sanding time. — David Thiel For more information, circle #170 on Free information Card. Tool Test Performax Small-shop Drum Most woodworkers have drooled over a drum sander at one point in their life. Whether it was for a project with lots of thin or figured pieces that needed sanding or for a tabletop that you wanted perfectly flat, the drum sander can be mighty enticing. Unfortunately, drum sanders can be prohibitively expensive. So it was with much enthusiasm that we tested Performax's new small-shop/economy drum sander. That's not too say it's inexpensive ($500), but the price does make it more reasonable for many. The 10-20 Plus is a single-drum sander (one grit at a time), capable of sanding a 10"-wide board in one pass or a 20"-wide board in two passes. This is possible because of the open-side design of the machine, which allows the board to extend beyond the sanding drum. By turning the board around and running it again, 20" is possible on this machine. Also included is a variable-speed feed rate. The material is carried past the sanding drum by a conveyer belt (with a #100-grit abrasive surface) that can be slowed down or sped up depending on the type of wood and the amount of material being removed Sharpening Video Filled With I've been sharpening tools for a long time, so it's rare for me to start taking detailed notes when I watch a video on sharpening. But David Charlesworth, a well-regarded British woodworker, teacher and author, has some incredible tricks that will make your sharpening faster and more accurate. His first video released in the United States, which was produced by Lie-Nielsen Toolworks, details the techniques he uses to turn a dull hand-plane iron to razor sharp. Perhaps most amazing is how little time Charlesworth actually spends sharpening a tool and how few stones he uses. But once I tried the techniques on his video, I became a believer. Here are some highlights: • Charlesworth's so-called "ruler trick" lets you skip much of the laborious polishing of the plane iron's back. This trick alone is worth the price of the video. • He shows you how to easily camber the edge of a plane iron for smoothing or joint- New and Useful Tricks ing tasks with just a dozen or so strokes on a Japanese waterstone. • See how he uses two micro-bevels - instead of just one - to speed up the amount of time you spend sharpening. • Set up your chipbreaker and plane iron for a perfect cut without the trial-and-error process most woodworkers go through. These tricks really work - and they're really fast. I tried every technique from the video and spent a lot of that time wondering why I had never thought of them before. While the instruction is clear and easy to follow, some basic knowledge of sharpening will ensure that you digest the good stuff much faster. No matter how poor or perfect your current sharpening technique is, you're sure to pick up some tips and tricks from this well-organized and information-rich video. — Christopher Schwarz For more information, circle #171 on Free Information Card. continued on page 26 SPECIFICATIONS Performax 10-20 Plus Drum Sander Street price: $500 Motor: 1-hp, TEFC, 1,700 rpm Sanding width: 10" or 20" Maximum material thickness: 3" Minimum material thickness: V32" Feed rate: Variable, up to 12 feet per minute Weight: 74 lbs. Performance: ••••□ Price range: $$$$ Performax: 800-274-6848 or jettools.com SPECIFICATIONS Sharpening with David Charlesworth Street price: $25 Running time: 77 minutes Performance: ••••• Price range: $ Lie-Nielsen Toolworks: 800-327-2520 or lie-nielsen.com 24 Popular Woodworking June 2004 |
